1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sound speakers and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for earbud-style, miniature or personal audio system speakers.
2. The Background Art
Music, podcasts, and other audio materials are now available to listeners. With the advent of the ipod™ and other MP3 audio players, individuals can carry with them gigabytes of data representing audio files for their listening desires. Personal audio devices have given rise to a plethora of speaker systems requiring very low power and fitted to a user. Such systems include headsets, earbuds, and the like. These speaker systems are very light weight, require very low power, and require very little space in most circumstances.
Pedestrians on the street, drivers in vehicles, and individuals at their work stations may often be found listening to their choice of music or other audio materials. This has become a traffic and safety issue in certain circumstances. For example, a pedestrian walking on a street needs to be aware of certain sounds in the environment. Public transportation agencies spend tremendous amounts of advertising dollars educating the public as to safety around mass-transit rail systems. An individual who cannot hear a coming commuter train, particularly quiet light-rail types of systems, may step into the path of a train, approach too close to the tracks, or otherwise be endangered because the speaker systems of an audio player block out other sounds.
Typically, a speaker system based on earbud technology includes a speaker that transmits sound directly into the outer ear channel of a user. Typically, a plug surrounds the central sound channel. Thus, not only is the sound directed immediately into the outer ear channel, other sounds are blocked out. Thus, the earbuds act not only as speakers but also as earplugs to cut out surrounding sound.
Thus, an individual who is listening to music or other audio materials not only has the volume of the sound obscuring any environmental sound sources but also has the effect of an ear plug blocking out any sounds other than those emanating from the speaker.
It would be an advance in the art to develop a speaker that is safer, by permitting bypass of certain sounds in order to allow a user to still detect environmental sounds affecting safety.